# Help: Resin / Sap on Humidor Walls



## mtec-cl (Jul 14, 2007)

I just got a new humidor and it appears there is a lot of sticky sap/resin on the interior cedar lining. Can somebody please teach me how to remove it without damaging the humidor? Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## discdog (Jun 23, 2006)

There is really no way to remove it from a finished product. Your best bet would be to return to where ever you purchased it and get a new one. Sorry.


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## Troop_lee (Aug 10, 2007)

Did you buy it from a store or online? If you bought it at a reputable store, I would take it back and get a new one. I don't have a lot of exprience with humidors because I move to a cooler pretty quick, but it seems to me that a good kiln dried cedar lined humidor wouldn't do that.


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## Bear (Sep 22, 2007)

I'm sure some of the more experienced members here may have something more constructive to say, but I'd advise simply returning it to the vendor and finding a new humidor.
If the wood is still giving off sap, then that probably means the cedar was never properly dried and if that's the case you really don't want your cigars coming in contact with that. If on the other hand it's glue you definitely don't want that anywhere near your smokes.
It just sounds to me like you may have purchased a humidor that was not properly manufactured. :2


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## scrapiron (Jun 24, 2006)

Bear said:


> I'm sure some of the more experienced members here may have something more constructive to say, but I'd advise simply returning it to the vendor and finding a new humidor.
> If the wood is still giving off sap, then that probably means the cedar was never properly dried and if that's the case you really don't want your cigars coming in contact with that. If on the other hand it's glue you definitely don't want that anywhere near your smokes.
> It just sounds to me like you may have purchased a humidor that was not properly manufactured. :2


I'm with everyone else on this one. Return/exchange it if you can.. If not......

I don't think sanding will work as it is too sticky. That brings up a solvent of some kind. Finding one that won't leave a smell in the humidor will be the trick.


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## mtec-cl (Jul 14, 2007)

Thanks for the suggestion for returning it to the manufacturer. However, it was a one of a kind custom made humidor. Are there any known remedies for this kind of problem? I read somewhere that denatured alcohol or acetone might work. Don't know where to buy that where I'm at...


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## mtec-cl (Jul 14, 2007)

Some pics of my situation:


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## Kngof9ex (May 24, 2007)

you could always seal it with poly u or an epoxy resin, then just relign it with some cedar strips


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## rottenzombie (Jun 11, 2007)

try sanding it with some fine grit sand paper,then wipe it down with distilled water .


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## Mtmouse (Jun 11, 2007)

mtec said:


> Thanks for the suggestion for returning it to the manufacturer. However, it was a one of a kind custom made humidor. Are there any known remedies for this kind of problem? I read somewhere that denatured alcohol or acetone might work. Don't know where to buy that where I'm at...


Is it still tacky? If it's hardened I wouldn't worry about it.

I wouldn't use denatured alcohol or acetone. Cedar is very absorbent you run the risk of having those smells lingering in your humidor.


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## mtec-cl (Jul 14, 2007)

It's semi-hardened. Hard in some areas, still a bit sticky in some areas. Should I put a fan to it to dry it out completely? Is the resin leak because the cedar got too dry because it wasn't humidified for a few months?


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## Mtmouse (Jun 11, 2007)

mtec said:


> It's semi-hardened. Hard in some areas, still a bit sticky in some areas. Should I put a fan to it to dry it out completely? Is the resin leak because the cedar got too dry because it wasn't humidified for a few months?


I don't think the fan will speed it up that much. As long as it does not come in contact with your cigars, you will be fine. Just keep your cello wrapped cigars closer to the trouble spots.

From what I've read in the past, excess sap is due to the timing of the tree being cut. If they are cut during a full moon the tree will have an excess amount of sap in it. I don't know how much truth is in that, but it makes sense to me.


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## earnold25 (Oct 5, 2006)

if you decide to sand, make sure to wear a mask as I hear spanish cedar dust isn't good for you at all


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## GoodFella (Nov 3, 2007)

mtec said:


> Thanks for the suggestion for returning it to the manufacturer. However, it was a one of a kind custom made humidor. Are there any known remedies for this kind of problem? I read somewhere that denatured alcohol or acetone might work. Don't know where to buy that where I'm at...


i dont know how much this humi cost but you may not want to do any thing to the humi at all. sanding and fixing may devalue the humi. if its realy worth any thing have a pro fix it.


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## mtec-cl (Jul 14, 2007)

I think I'm gonna try to sand it down. It isn't very valuable the way it is anyway so I'm gonna try to make the humidor more useful by sanding it. The reminder to wear a mask is a great tip. I heard that before somewhere. Thanks for the great tips guys.


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## discdog (Jun 23, 2006)

mtec, sanding will NOT do anything for you if the sap is still tacky. It is there because of two things. Either the wood was not kiln dried or it was not kiln dried enough. A change of weather or humidification probably reactivated the sap pockets (in all types of conifer and most other woods), and is now "leaking". 
If you are determined to use this box, I would recommend lining the box with new material. I've seen an expandable wooden grate that would work well for this application (Jim at Blue Havanna II has them). Simply place the grate on the botton and you're good to go. You could use an old box to do the same thing if you wanted to. 
I would not use acetone as you'll never get the odor out of the box. Denatured alcohol would not have the odor, but won't remove the sap without causing more to come out. However, both products are available at most paint supply houses.
Don't worry about the minute amount of dust you'll likely ingest by lightly sanding cedar. Unless you have asthema,allergies (serious) or emphasema (sp?), you're not going to create enough dust to worry about.


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## chippewastud79 (Sep 18, 2007)

Put it in the oven, dry it out yourself.









Take it back or send it back. Best of luck on the fix.


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## discdog (Jun 23, 2006)

chippewastud79 said:


> Put it in the oven, dry it out yourself.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I thought about that. But the pics looked like there is a veneer on the outside of the box and I figured it would not be a good idea to heat it. Some glue is heat activated. Although, you could try an hour or so at 100 degrees to see if that helps to dry it out.


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## GOAT LOCKER (Aug 7, 2004)

Does it really bother you? Such sap leakage is very commom with Spanish Cedar, and since it's being used as an interior lining, I don't see a big problem. Go to your local hardwood supplier and you will see much of their spanish cedar has sap on it... The shelves in one of my humidors has much more than what is in your pics, but I have to move boxes out of the way to see it. One reason you don't see this so much in cheap humidors is due to the use of veneers vs solid S. cedar.

If it really does bother you, you can lightly sand it off, or use a cabinet scraper to remove it. I prefer the scraper, but you have to know how to use one... The stain will still be there unless you remove quite a bit.


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## chippewastud79 (Sep 18, 2007)

discdog said:


> I thought about that. But the pics looked like there is a veneer on the outside of the box and I figured it would not be a good idea to heat it. Some glue is heat activated. Although, you could try an hour or so at 100 degrees to see if that helps to dry it out.


It could work, considering you didn't spend a boat load on the humidor. I would give it a go, it was a joke but kind of a serious thought. Keep a good eye on it if you do though. I think anything under 212 degrees and you should not have too much of a risk of fire unless there is something like felt on the bottom.


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## taltos (Feb 28, 2006)

If the humidor is a box within a box construction, the Spanish cedar might be removable since it should be a friction fit rather than glued into the outer box. If this is the case, the section with sap on it could be removed and oven cured. The dried sap could then be sanded off. Hope this helps.


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## mtec-cl (Jul 14, 2007)

I bought some denatured alcohol (they call it industrial alcohol where I"m at) with very, very faint odor, much lighter odor than rubbing alcohol, and used it to successfully remove all the sap with cotton swabs and paper towels. I used a lot and it dries very quickly and does not leave a smell. There are still some slight stains from where the sap was seeping through, but hopefully after I sand it down tomorrow, everything should be alright. Thanks for everybody's help!


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## tmarc75 (Oct 11, 2007)

mtec said:


> Thanks for the suggestion for returning it to the manufacturer. However, it was a one of a kind custom made humidor. Are there any known remedies for this kind of problem? I read somewhere that denatured alcohol or acetone might work. Don't know where to buy that where I'm at...


I would try denatured alcohol. I used it to get rid of a mold problem in my secondhand humidor when I first got it. The smell will go away within a month or so.

Good luck!:tu


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## Strangg1 (Apr 25, 2007)

Sap is the result of the cedar not being properly dried. Even if it is a custom job I would return it to have it fixed/replaced or my $ back. I've had half a dozen humidors over the years, and none of mine have had sap issues, from the cheapest to the most expensive. Sap in a humidor is unacceptable.

If returning it to be repaird/replaced, etc is not really an option your only real option is tearing the cedar out and re-lining it yourself with properly dried spanish cedar(preferably kiln dried). Any solvent will just be absorbed by the wood, and it can take a long time for the sap to stop leaking and dry. 


~S


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## mtec-cl (Jul 14, 2007)

ISSUE RESOLVED :chk!! by wiping down with a lot of denatured alcohol then sanding. The alcohol left no odor at all. 

I figured out the reason why the sap came out in the first place was because I left the humidor sitting in a hot storage facility for three months unattended. That won't happen again so the sap shouldn't leak again. Thanks for everybody's help!


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## Opusfxd (Nov 17, 2007)

DOH!


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